Commissioners Meet, Approve Hiring

The Commissioners Court on Tuesday authorized the hiring of an assistant district attorney to handle the child protective service docket in Orange County at a higher pay scale than entry level.  District Attorney John Kimbrough told the Court he has a candidate in mind for the position.

Kimbrough said he needs to offer any candidate for the position a P-2 Classification with 10 years of service at the starting pay of $80,100 a year.  The District Attorney added he has a prospective candidate for the job who has had experience in trying child protective service cases in other district attorneys’ offices.  The Commissioners Court gave unanimous approval for Kimbrough to pursue the attorney he has in mind for the position at the higher pay scale.

The Orange County Jail will be getting a deputy to work with inmates coping with mental illness sooner than originally expected.  The Commissioners approved Tuesday amending the agreement that was approved last week with the Spindletop Center to provide a Mental Health Liaison Deputy.

The  amendment will allow the deputy to begin working with inmates at the Orange County Jail as soon as possible instead of waiting until the start of the new fiscal year which is September 1.  The agreement will be eligible for renewal at the start of each fiscal year.  Spindletop Center is funding the program 100 percent.

Repairs to several county offices were approved with line item transfers at the recommendation of Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry.  The Sheriff’s Office will have its flooring in the dispatch office replaced for $1,032.35.  The roof on the Precinct 3 Constable and Commissioner’s office at the Orange County Airport will be repaired for $14,455.62.  The cost will be $11,861.70 to replace the flooring in the Mosquito Control Office.

The most extensive repairs will be in the Vidor Sub-Courthouse.  Guidry indicated work will be done to replace the roof, interior walls, and the carpet.  He stated the structure is not in a special flood zone which will allow for a faster addressing of the repairs.  The cost should be $45,304.97 to get the sub-courthouse back to full status.

The Commissioners approved the recommended changes to the rental regulations for the Raymond Gould Center in Vidor.  Event Coordinator Sabrina Gray presented the changes which included raising the reservation fee from $60 to $100 which is refundable if the center is properly cleaned by the group renting it after the event.

Approval was given to the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce to use parking lots leased to Orange County at the Port of Orange.  Chamber President Ida Schossow said the parking will be used by the judges during the Bass Master Event which is scheduled for the week of June 4-10.

The Commissioners Court held two closed sessions with Assistant County Attorney Denise Gremillion.  No action was taken following the meeting concerning pending, threatened, or contemplated litigation.  After the first closed meeting Gremillion invited a motion that Dr. Calvin Parker be offered appointment to the position of health authority according to the Texas Health and Safety Code which was approved by the Court.